Understanding mental illness through empathic storytelling: Jake Morgan and Neal Walia at TEDxOU

Jake Morgan and Neal Walia are seeking to show the power of shared experience and how it can bring light to the emotions and thoughts we might never express. To share your story or contact Jake and Neal, send an email to [email protected]. Both pre-med juniors at the University of Oklahoma, Jake and Neal see the inherent value of empathy not only in the occupation of a physician but also in our everyday interactions. Jake is a microbiology and Italian double major who dedicates his time to teaching his peers organic chemistry and the Italian language. When he's not living and breathing peer education, he loves to "couchsurf" around Europe while honing his Italian. Jake plans to teach medical students in the future as a physician with the hope of communicating the significance of empathy in patient-physician interactions. Neal is studying psychology and hopes to utilize the principles in this field to connect with his future patients. A health fanatic, Neal is constantly active whether its break dancing or running around with Siberian husky, Boomer. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)